Pumping system for grease



Oct. 10, 1933. yv. P. VALENTINE PUMPING SYSTEM FOR GREASE 5 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed 0Gt. 1, 1931 A T TOR/V5 r5.

WITNESSES.

1933- w. P. VALENTINE 1,930,294

PUMPING SYSTEM FOR GREASE Filed Oct. 1, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES:INVE N TOR &2 WAR/mm VALt'NT/NE A TTORNEKS 1933- w. P. VALENTINE1,930,294

PUMPING SYSTEM FOR GREASE Filed Oct. 1, 1931 s Sheets-Sheet 3 III/IIIIII'I'IIIII Patented Oct. 10, 1933 PUMPING SYSTEM roa GREASE Warren P.Valentine, Line Lexington, Pa., as-

signor to National Transit Pump & Machine Company, Oil City, Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania Application October 1, 1931. Serial No.566,306

14 Claims.

My invention relates to pumping systems for the high pressure deliveryof fluid of high viscosity, for example grease, heavy lubricant, paintand the like, herein conventionally called grease, from a can or otherholder of such material to bearings or elsewhere.

One purpose of my invention is to provide structure of the characterindicated adapted to easy and inexpensive manufacture and well suited tothe needs of service.

A further purpose is to discharge the content of a grease orpaintcontainer as completely as possible.

A further purpose is to combine a rotary collector and stirrer at thebottom of a grease or paint container with' a positive pump, preferablyof rotary type, using the collector to deliver the grease or paint tothe pump.

A further purpose is to close the inlet toa grease pump when the inletceases to be in contact with grease and would otherwise pumpair,discriminating between air and grease by the variant retardations ofmoving parts, encountered in these different media, and preferably toclose the inlet by resilient means when it is not in contact withgrease.

A further purpose is to automatically limit the discharge pressure froma grease delivery system.

A further purpose is to combine my pumping system with a commercialcontainer in which the grease is sold to the user, and to dispense thegrease directly therefrom, removing the pumping system to a filled canwhen the first can becomes empty.

A further purpose is to use a rise of discharge pressure of greasedelivered from pumping mechanism of the character indicated todisconnect the mechanism from a driving motor thereof.

A further purpose is to indicate the amount of grease delivered from acontainer therefor by mechanism of the character indicated.

It will be evident that the rotary collector greatly enlarges the bottomarea of the body of grease removed, still further reducing the height ofthe shell of content left in the container and limiting this to a littleabout the lower edges.

It will be further evident that the positive pump should be protectedagainst inlet elsewhere than through the inertia feed and that the feedthrough the latter may be cut off automatically to prevent feeding ofair when the viscous material in the path of the inertia pump inlet hasbeen removed. r

Further purposes will appear in the specification and in the claims.

In the drawings I have shown one main form only of my invention and afew modifications thereof, selecting a main form and detailmodifications thereof that are practical, effective, convenient andinexpensive, and which well illustrate the principles involved.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation'of a desirable embodiment of theinvention, showing my improved pumping system combined with andassembled on a grease or paint drum.

Figure 2 is a broken side elevation corresponding to a portion of Figure1 but showing a modification, the discharging content being moresuitably grease in Figure 1 and paint in Figure 2.

Figures 3 and 4 are sectional plan views taken on the lines 3-3 and 44respectively of Figure 1.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary sections of Figure 1 takenrespectively on the lines 55, 6-6 and 7-7 thereof in the directions ofthe arrows.

Figure 8 is a fragment corresponding to a portion of Figure 1 butshowing a detail-modification.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of collector.

Figures 10 and 13 are sections corresponding generally in subject matterbut not in plane of section to Figure 4, -and are taken at the plane ofjunction between the collector and the pipe 38, immediately aboveclosure valves used on the inertia pump in modifications. v r

Figure 10 is a section taken upon the line 10-10 of Figure 12 and Figure13 isa section taken'upon the line 1313 of Figure 14.

Figures 11 and 12 are fragmentary sections taken upon lines 11-11 and1212 respectively in Figure 10.

Figures 14 and 15 are fragmentary sections taken upon lines 14-14 and15-15 respectively in Figure 13.

Like numerals refer to like parts in all figures.

Describing in illustration and not in limitation and referring to thedrawings:- a e In the prior art, grease or paint, typified by a greaseto be forced for example into a transmispie as in Figure 1 by theinverted conical volume between the dotted lines 11.

The annular portion 12 outsidethe lines 11 may represent the residualgrease hitherto not deliverable by the pump which is here assumed tohave its inlet at the apex of the deliverable portion, that is where thelines 11 come together near the bottom of the can and at about themiddle of the can.

One feature of my invention greatly reduces the grease or paint residuumwithin the drum or container when delivery of the pump fails in that thepump has ceased to receive the inlet material, whatever its character.This reduction may be, for example, that from the large annular volume12 outside the lines 11 to a small annular volume 13 outside the lines14, Figure 1.

In Figure 1 the grease or paint delivery mechanism includes a motor 15,a body casting 16 supported on the lid 1'? of the can or drum 10, a maindrive shaft 18 operatively connected through reduction gearing 19 to themotor, a positive preferably rotary pump 20, a collector 21 andstationary structure supporting the drive shaft, the pump and thecollector from the body casting 16.

The motor 15 is rigidly fastened to the body casting l6, and the motorshaft 22 carries the first gear 23 (Figure 6) of the reduction train 19and is in axial alinement with the main drive shaft 18, the upper end ofthe shaft 18 turning in a sleeve bearing 24 at the lower end of themotor shaft'inside the downwardly directed hub of the last gear of thetrain 19, the last gear of the train in normal operation turning as aunit with the shaft 18.

Between the first gear 23 on the motor shaft 22 and the last gear 25,also on the motor shaft 22, are large and small gears 26 and 2'7 on thestub shaft 28 held in the bracket 29. The reduction train may of coursevary widely in known manner.

The lower portion of the main drive shaft 18 has journal support at 30and 31, the stationary supporting structure from the casting 16including a bolt 32, fastened to the casting 16 at 33 and having nuts 34and 35, a discharge pipe 36 of the pump, a bracket 3'! from the casingor body of the pump and a pipe 38 between the collector and theThecollector 21, suitably pinned to the lower end of the shaft 18, maycomprise an integral hollow casting with hollow curved arms 39 balancedsymmetrically on opposite sides of the shaft. 18. These arms have theiropen inlet ends 40 directed forwardly and discharge into a central'upwardly directed hollow hub 41 which surrounds the shaft 18 andregisters at its outlet end with the downwardly directed inlet of thestationary pipe 38 leading to the pump.

Wherever the pump may be mounted, my purpose is to supply it withcontent by means of a rotating collector which shall have a gatheringdiameter extending across a very considerable portion of the interior ofthe casing or can. To permit this and to adapt the pump to withdraw aslarge a percentage of the content as possible, I mount the collectorapproximately at the central axis of the can. g

The outer surfaces of the hollow arms 39 of the collector are so shapedas to guide outwardly,

to the collecting inlets 40, any content which would otherwise tend toremain upon the bottom within the inner portion of the area occupied bythe collector. As a result of this construction, practically all of thecontent which, as before,

flows toward the bottom at and near the center of the can, is divertedoutwardly toward the ends of the arms 39 into the path of movement oftheir openings and a much' smaller residuum is left which is representedas lying outside the dotted line 14.

The'content which lies in line with the inlet openings 40 is taken updirectly by rotation of the arms 39 and passes through the hollowpassages in the arms to the pipe 38 through which it is guided to thepump 20. The pump forces the content up through the discharge pipe 36,and passage 42 in the body casting 16 to a flexible delivery hose 43.

The pump 20.is very desirably of rotary type constructed in any suitablemanner. In the drawings I illustrate a pump having a rotor 44, carryingpistons 45 on piston rods 46 eccentrically pivoted in a stub shaft 47secured to a removable side casing 48 by bolts 49. The rotor is turnedby bevel gears 50 and 51 from the main drive shaft 18.

Preferably mechanism is provided to effect an automatic shut-down of thepump when the pressure in the discharge piping rises, as by reason of aclosure of a valve 52 on a delivery nozzle 53 of the hose 43.

As illustrated a clutch connection is provided between the upper end ofthe shaft 18 and the last gear 25 of the reduction train 19 operativelyconnected to the motor, one member 54 of the clutch being rigidly andpermanently connected with the last gear of the train, with thecooperating movable member 55. of the clutch being splined to'the shaft18 and controlled with respect to position by the discharge pressurewithin the pipe 36.

In the illustrated mechanism for operating the clutch connection betweenthe shaft 18 and the reduction train 19, a downwardly directed cylinder56 forming a rigid portion of the casting 16 has pressure connection at57 into the discharge passage 42. A piston 58 within the cylinder 56 isoperatively connected to the movable clutch element 55, makingconnection by means of a suitable connecting rod 59 with one end of arocker 60 that surrounds the clutch element and makes operativeconnection thereto at 61. The rocker presents its suitably rounded otherend at 62 against the side of the long bolt 32 in a socket formed by thespace between vertically spaced screws 63 and the opposite sides of abracket 64 clamped by the screws to the bolt 32.

The rocker 60 is spring pulled upwardly at its end near the piston bysprings 65 stretched between stationary pins 66 extending from theopposite sides of the cylinder and the extended ends of the pin 6'7 thatpivotally connects the connecting rod 59 with the rocker 60.

The rocker end at the pin 67 is also strongly pulled by springs 68 in adirection to press the clutch toward closure when already closed andtoward an open position when already open, the springs 68 on oppositesides of the rocker being stretched between a pin 69, on the bracket 64and the pivot pin 67 of the rocker end, the line of pull of the springs68 being thus below or above the connection 61 between the rocker andclutch element when the clutch is respectively open or closed. In effectthe springs 68 operate a full-stroke device. I

In normal operation the clutch is held closed by the springs 65 and 68until the discharge pres* sure transmitted to the cylinder 66 risessumciently to force the piston downward against the pull of both sets ofsprings.

Before the clutch elements fully separate incident to highpressuretransmitted to the cylinder, the lines of pull of the springs 68pass below the operative connections at 61 between the rocker andclutch, the springs 68 then snapping the clutch open.

When the-pressure within the cylinder is released, as by reason ofopening the valve 52 to charge another bearing, the springs snap theclutch to closure, causing an immediate resumption of operation of thecollector and pump.

I fully recognize the possibilities of adding fins or blades 70 to thecollector 21, as shown in Figure 2, and using the same for mixingpurposes. In such a use, the driving gear may be kept out of mesh withthe gear 50 of the pump until the mixing is completed, to be thenbrought into mesh and the mixed material pumped from' the container inquantities as needed.

In Figure 2, the bevel gear 51 has a. spline connection at '71 with theshaft 18 and is adapted to be positioned in or out of mesh with the gear50 of the pump rotor by means of a suitable-forked rocker 72 which ispivotally supported at 73 upon the stationary bracket 37' and angularlypositioned by a vertical link 74.

The upper end of the link '74 slides in a vertical opening through thebody casting 16', and is spring-pressed upwardly at '75 into continuousengagement with a cam 76. The cam 76 is horizontally pivoted at 71 andangularly positioned by a suitable handle 78 to move the gear 51 into orout of mesh with the gear 50 of the pump.

1 further provide an indicator 79 to determine the amount of greasepumped from the container by the rotations ofthe rotary pump.

The indicator 79 may be of any known revolution-counting type connectedso as to show the rotations of the pump, the indicator scale beingselected to show the delivered volume of grease.

In Figure 1 the indicator is shown as connected like a speedometer on anautomobile by a flexible shaft inside a flexible casing 80 to a gear 81meshing with a gear'82 on the shaft 18.

In the modification of Figure 8 I illustrate that the discharge from therotor pump may be provided with a meter wholly separate from the pumpand shown conventionally at 79' as mounted upon the body casting 16'.

This arrangement avoids the need for counting the rotations of the pump,which permits the use of a pressure relief valve 83 upon the dischargeside of the pump-for automaticallyreturning grease passing the pump backto the container when the discharge pressure increases, as by reason ofclosing a discharge outlet valve 52 upon the flexible connection 43.

When the discharge pipe 36 is provided with a high pressure reliefvalve, as at 83, adapted to discharge under high pressure back to theinterior .of the container, any automatic high pressure 'shut down ofthe pump is unnecessary.

Usually the meter element should be'beyond any by-pass discharge back tothe container, for which reason the separate meter element of Figure 8is desirable when the connections beyond the pump include a highpressure relief valve.

In Figure 9 I show a collector 21' having arms 39 and 39 and a hub '41.The inlet opening 40' is placed well back from the front of the arm 39,at a relatively thick point on the arm, so that the narrow front face39" of the arm inlet openings. 9 A r with respect to .it to perform thetwo functions 39' will cut the lubricant content in the can and feed itinto the inlet opening 40'. The arm 39 serves to balance the collector.

This form of collector is particularly-desirable for use in extremelyviscous materials, such as greases in cold weather, since the wedgeshape of the collector reduces the resistance to rotation and assists inparting the grease. I

'It will be-evident that the impeller feeding mechanism or collector atthe bottom performs two main functions. It not only utilizes the inertiaof the grease or other heavy or viscous material handled to'causemovement of the content into the pump inlet to supply the pump, but atthe same time it centrifuga ly; and by reason of its wedge shape,distributes the grease inside of theinletopenings out into the path ofthe The inherent character ofits operation makes the collectoressentially an inertia pump as distinguished from the positive pump towhich it acts as a feed. v

The relation of the two pumps makes it highly desirable that the inertiapump part of the combination shall 'be over-size as compared with thepositive pump, so that the positive pump will not lack content uponwhich to operate.

In the'form of Figures 10, 11 and 12, a shut-01f valve 84 is insertedbetween a single blade collector 21 and the lower part of the inlet forthe positive pump. The collector 21 here does not require an extendedpassage, but is provided with a front inlet opening 40 and shortconnecting passage 85-, which is laterally open at 86, so as to connectin the position shown in Figurea 11 and 12 with a downwardly directedopening 87 ofan arm' 88, which opening communicates with the inlet tothe positive pump by a passage 89 through the arm 88, and then throughthe hub 41. The shut-off valve 84 is pivoted about the same shaft 18which pivots the collector 21, but isfree to turn on the shaft 18, whilethe collector 21 is rigid. on the shaft 18. The valve 84 isprovided withan under surface 90 inthe same plane with the downwardly fac- 2 ingopening 87, which by movement of the parts closes the upwardly directedopening 86, shutting on its passage, and at the same time uses theupwardly facing surface 91 of the collector to close off the downwardlyfacing opening 87, preventing admission of air to the passage 89 and tothe pump inlet pipe 38.

The valve member 84 is carried by the col lector 21', but has suflicientrelative movement of providing passage for the viscous material pumpedin the position shown in solid line at the left in Figure 10 and ofcloslng not only the passage through the collector 21, but moreparticularly the entrance, 87 to the pasmge 89 in the position of theparts seen in dotted lines at the rightin Figure 10. v The two parts arespring-pressed toward the position shown at the right of Figure 10, theclosure position, by a spring 92 which is inserted effectively betweenlugs 93 and 94 upon the valve member and collector respectively, thespring being supported by a pin95' whose head 96 limits outward movementof the spring. 5 As shown, the pin is carried by the collector and thelug 93 upon the valve is pressed toward the lug 94 upon the collector bythe expansive force of'the spring. The-pin is free totum in the plane'ofthe paper to accommodate the varya ing angular positions by a pivotalconnection at 97. In operation during the presence of viscousmaterialwithin the sweep of the valve element,

the retardation of the viscous material against the forward part of thevalve member pushes it back, compressing the spring and bringing theopening in the valve member into line with the upwardly directed openinginthe collector. This position of the parts is maintained until thepumping becomes sufliciently complete, so that the valve member is nolonger seriously retarded, at which time the spring expands, moving thevalve member forwardly with respect to the collector and shutting offthe flow of viscous material through the valve. I

This is quite desirable in that it prevents pumping of air to thepositive pump, and hence prevents pumping of air through the positivepump, with its danger of improper actuation of the meter andintroduction of air into the grease line.

In Figures 13, 14 and 15 the collector 21 and valve member 84' difierfrom those in'Figures 10, 11 and 12 in two important particulars. Theone is that the valve member 84' does not contain a channel, but has acupped opening, merely, at 98, which in the position for feeding viscousmaterial overlies a lateral (upward) opening 86' in the collector andalso a second lateral opening 99 separated from the opening 86' by abarrier 100, which interrupts the passage of viscous material throughthe channel within the collector. The barrier separates the parts of thechannel 101 connected with the inlet opening 40 from the rest of thechannel 102 leading to the intake of the positive pump. With thisarrangement no care need be taken to close the entrance to the valvemember in'the closure position, and all that is required is thatthe'opening 99 shall be closed by the portion 103 of the valve member84.

There is another considerable difference between the two forms in thatthe form of Figures 13 to 15, instead of being pivoted about the sameaxis as the axis of the collector, and being springdrawn to position, ispivoted at some point 104 alongthe length of the collector and isprovided with an arm 105, and counterweight 106, which pass the axis ofthe collector and by centrifugal force tend to shift the valve member84' to a position closing the lateral openings of the carrier.

The action of the centrifugal force on the arm 105 and counterweight 106as compared with the arm carrying the valve member, on the other side ofthe center 104, is suflicient to close the valve at all'times when thecollector is rotating in air, but is overcome by the, pressure of.viscous material against the end of the valve member 84' and against thesurface 106 of the counterweight end where viscous material is beingpumped; In the absence of retardation by viscous material thecentrifugal force of the counterbalancing end at 106 overcomes thepressure component upon these parts, with the result that the valvemoves to closed position.

The body of the collector or the intake to the positive pump may be usedas a stop-surface to limit the swinging movement of the valve memberwith respect to the collector. I show stops of this character at 107 and108.

It will be evident that the. inertia feed to the main pump may be closedby any other type of automatic valve which has a slight movement withrespect to the arm of the inertiapump and which is drawn to one limit ofits movement by the additional retardation of one end against movementin the material gathered.

In view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications tomeet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident toothers skilled in the art, to obtain part or all of the benefits of myinvention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claimall such in so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scopeof my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a rotary pump for viscous materials, a pump body having ahorizontal axis, a rotor therein, means for turning the rotor, wallsforming an inlet passage to said pump terminating in an openingsubstantially at right angles to the axis of the rotor, a rotary inletmember for feeding material to said passage, said member having an axisof rotation in said opening offset from the rotor in a direction axiallythereof, and approximately at right angles to the said opening and tothe. axis of the pump rotor and discharging into the pump inlet passageand hollow arms carried by said rotary inlet terminating in openingsfacing in the direction of arm travel and feeding inlet material to saidpump.

2. In a pump for pumping viscous materials, a positive rotary pumphaving an inlet opening, a second pump including a hollow horizontal armrotating about a vertical axis and having a forwardly presented inlettoward the outer end of the arm, and an outlet at the said axis, aconduit connection therefrom to the inlet of the positive pump, adischarge pipe from the rotary pump, a driving shaft in the said axisand for both pumps supporting the rotor for one of the pumps and gearingbetween the drive shaft and the other pump, the said axis of the secondpump being horizontally offset from the first pump.

3. In a pump for pumping viscous material, a positive rotary pump havingan inlet opening, a second pump including a hollow horizontallyextending arm rotatable about a vertical axis and having an inlet towardits outer end and an outlet at the said axis,a conduit connectiontherefrom to the inlet of the positive pump and having greater capacitythan the capacity of the rotary pump and shut-off means for the materialpumped by the second pump movable with respect to the second pump,resiliently drawn to a position of closure andopened by engagement withthe viscous material. 7

4. In a pump for pumping viscous material, a 130 positive rotary pumphaving an inletopening,

a second pump including a hollow horizontally extending arm rotatableabout a vertical axis and having aninlet toward its outer end and anoutlet at the said axis, a conduit connection there- 135 from to theinlet of the rotary pump and shut-off means for the material pumped bythe second pump movable with respect to the second pump, and centrifugalmeans tending to close the shutoff when the content has been pumped,opened 140 by engagement with the viscous material.

5. In a pump for viscous material, a positive rotary pump having aninlet, an inertia pump adapted to supply viscous material to the inletof the positive pump, and having a rotor, a drive 145 shaft for therotor of the inertia pump, connections from the shaft for driving thepositive pump and means for interrupting the connections whereby theinertia pump may be driven without driving the positive pump.

6. An inertia pump rotor having a conduit arm and at the endof said arman opening facing inthe direction of movement of the arm, and having aside opening to the conduit at the surface of the arm, and means forturning the rotor, in combination with a shut-off valve for said surfaceopening movable with the arm and also with respect to it having inletfrom the arm conduit in retarded position and a shut-off therefor inadvanced position and restrained during movement within the viscousmaterial by retarding pressure of the material against the shut-off toopen it and resilient means for normally turning the shut-off to closureposition.

7. An inertia pump rotor having a conduit arm and at the terminal ofsaid arm an opening facing in the direction of movement of the arm andhaving a side opening to the conduit at the surface of the arm anddriving means therefor in combination with a movable shut-off valve forsaid opening supported upon said arm, having inlet from the arm conduitin one position and a shut-off therefor in another position, restrainedduring movement within the viscous material by retarding pressure of thematerial against the shut-off to open it and resilient means fornormally turning the shut-off to closure position.

8. An inertia pump rotor having a conduit arm and at the terminal ofsaid arm an opening facing in the direction of movement of the arm andhaving an opening to the conduit at an intermediate point at the surfaceof the arm and means for turning the rotor, in combination with ashutoff valve for said opening coaxial with the rotor having inlet fromthe arm conduit in one position and a shut-off therefor in anotherposition, movable with the arm and restrained during movement within theviscous material by retarding pressure of the material against theshut-off to open it and resilient means for normally turning theshut-off to closure position.

9. A dispensing device for highly viscous material, a motor, a driveshaft connected therewith, a driven shaft, clutch mechanism between thedrive shaft and the driven shaft, a collector for the viscous materialmounted upon the driven shaft and having hollow arms at an angle to itsradii adapted to feed the viscous material toward the outer ends of thearms, openings at the outer ends of the arms to collect the material andfeed it through the hollow arms, a pipe connecting with said arms, afluid pump connecting with the pipe, a connection between the drivenshaft and the pump, a second pipe, a flexible hose connected with saidsecond pipe at one end and having a valve nozzle at its opposite end, acylinder connecting with the second pipe, a piston within the cylinderand a link motion connecting the piston with the clutch mechanism,whereby pressure built up within the second named pipe, the flexiblehose and cylinder, will cause the piston to move the link motion tocause engagement or disengagement with the driven shaft.

10. In a pump for viscous materials, a positive pump element, adischarge pipe therefrom, a cylinder with which the discharge pipeconnects and wherein the pressure of the discharge pipe is exerted, apiston in said cylinder, spring means for supporting the weight of saidpiston, driving means from the shaft for the positive pump, disconnecting means between the driving means and the shaft and full strokemeans connected with the movable member of said disconnecting means,

whereby the excess pressure in the discharge connection from thepositive pump opens the disconnecting means quickly and whereby thedisconnecting means may be quickly and reliably fully thrown when thepressure in the discharge connection becomes excessive.

11. In a pump for pumping viscous material from a tank, a positiverotary pumping element having an inlet, an inertia rotary pumpingelement having openings facing in the direction of rotation of the rotorand having conduit connection with the inlet of the positive pumpingelement, a drive common to both elements, a discharge pipe from thepositive pumping element, a cylinder connected therewith, a piston insaid cylinder, a link for operating the piston, counterbalancing meansfor said link and piston, a lever connected to the link, a clutchoperated by the lever, whereby the clutch is opened with excess pressurein the discharge pipe and full stroke means for moving the clutch whenthe excess pressure has started its movement.

12. In mechanism of the character indicated, a container for grease orpaint, a collector adapted to rotate presenting a forwardly directedinlet near the bottom of the container and adapted to move by rotationof the collector about a path near the inside wall of the container andhaving an upwardly directed outlet, a pump having an inlet directlydownwardly registering with the outlet of the collector, a shaftcarrying the collector, an operative connection between the shaft andpump and shift mechanism for opening and closing the said connection andpermitting the collector to be used as a stirrer without running thepump.

13. In mechanism of the character indicated, a container having a cover,a collector comprising tubular arms relatively in substantial balancewith respect to a vertical axis of rotation, said arms having inlets attheir outer ends presented forwardly in the plane of rotation and anupwardly directed common outlet surrounding the axis of rotation, avertical shaft carrying the collector, a rotor pump having an inletsurrounding the shaft and in registry with the outlet of the collector,means mounted on the cover providing support for the shaft and for thepump, a motor mounted on the cover, a reduction gear connection betweenthe motor and shaft, a clutch between the reduction gear and shaft andmeans con trolled by the pressure of grease discharge from the pump forreleasing the clutch under high pressure.

14. In mechanism of the character indicated, a container having a cover,a collector comprising tubular arms relatively balanced with respect toa vertical axis of rotation, said arms having inlets at their outer endspresented forwardly in the plane of rotation and a common outletsurrounding the axis of rotation, a vertical shaft carrying thecollector, a rotor pump having an inlet surrounding the shaft anddirected downwardly in registry with the outlet of the collector, meansmounted on the cover providing support for the shaft and for the pump, amotor mounted on the cover, a reduction gear connection between themotor and shaft, and means for indicating the discharge of grease orpaint from the pump and comprising a counter connected to show therevolutions of the shaft and a scale relating the said revolutions tothe delivery from the pump.

-WARREN P. VALENTINE.

